BTW, teckstud, I saw the27" iMac in Fry's the other day and tried to see how the store lighting affected the glare and I must say I am not sure I can completely agree with you on that one. Of course that could be because of the crap systems I have had to put up with for the last 10+ years. They were so bad that the glare you talk about on the iMac glass screen may have possibly gone unnoticed.

If you ever get a chance to compare a glass vs matte direct comparison you'll see. Ironically I'm able to do so every time I visit Apple 5th Avenue as a class is conducted right in the open using the old matte cinema display. Everyone can view it easily from all angles. If you stand next to a user on an iMac you can barely see it. Each user has to individually adjust it. This plus the fact that the screen has no vertical adjustment and now has more glass just doesn't cut it.

No, they say, wow look at those deep blacks and really nice contrast. I don't care what the matte-fans say, glossy screens look WAY nicer to me and everyone I talk to.... and 95% of the public does not care about your color accurate publishing work.

On these new iMacs, it seems the blacks will be deeper than ever!

Seriously though, hope this problem is restricted to a small amount of customers. I guess that's what happens with "brand new" product revisions.

Out of interest, are you prepared to comment on why, with a price differential of US$200, you are interested in an i5 over an i7? (Sorry - just a brief detour!)

Regards.

Gladly!! I feel lucky just to have been able to talk my wife into spending the $$ on an i5. I would much rather get the i7 but trying to spend the extra $200 is just not worth the effort. Let me also add that because of the crap MicroSuck based systems I have had to put up with for the last 10+ years, even getting an i5 would be like getting out of a VW Beetle into a Mercedes-McClaren F1 race car.

Lastly, before anyone tries to say I am p-whipped, it's all about me respecting my wife's ability to manage money. She does a fantastic job! It's hard to argue with a bank balance that would allow us to live for 3 or 4 years without working, and all due to her efforts! If it were not for her resoluteness, I would probably have us deep in debt.

If you ever get a chance to compare a glass vs matte direct comparison you'll see. Ironically I'm able to do so every time I visit Apple 5th Avenue as a class is conducted right in the open using the old matte cinema display. Everyone can view it easily from all angles. If you stand next to a user on an iMac you can barely see it. Each user has to individually adjust it. This plus the fact that the screen has no vertical adjustment and now has more glass just doesn't cut it.

Absolutely. I couldn't agree more.

I don't understand why this is even an issue. There should be choice. Period.

I bought the last non-glare 15" MacBook Pro when the first uni-bodies were released, hoping that Apple would see the light. Kinda like the FireWire issue and the 13-inchers.

Why the glossies get all snotty about it is ridiculous. Personally, I don't give a shit if you prefer gloss screens, or Fords or poodle hairdo rock bands. I promise not to force you to go to the Bayreuth Festival with me in my Bentley. I'll have great seats, though!

27 inch i7. Booted up fine but fans were running at full speed - sounded like a vacuum cleaner running. No cracked screen though and except for the fan issue - seemed to work fine. Packaging seemed adequate as well. Screen is awesome. Return with Apple went ok at first - arranged for return shipping and the day after Fedex picked it up my account showed the replacement - but not shipping until Dec!

This is where it gets a little weird. I called Apple and they said my machine was actually already awaiting shipment (yay!) that it was given priority status and they would provide upgraded shipping - they even refunded my original shipping charges since I had paid for the 2-3 day shipping on the original. Very happy camper at this point. However...

It's been nearly a week and the status is still sitting at a ship date of Dec 2. I spoke with a rep again last night and he said it was NOT put on priority status and that it was in the queue like all the other orders. He did offer to "upgrade" my shipping to 2-3 days - odd since that should have been in the system already.

Bottom line - Apple doesn't appear to be doing anything special to get my replacement iMac to me and I'll just have to wait until Dec even though I originally placed the order on Oct 27.

If you ever get a chance to compare a glass vs matte direct comparison you'll see. Ironically I'm able to do so every time I visit Apple 5th Avenue as a class is conducted right in the open using the old matte cinema display. Everyone can view it easily from all angles. If you stand next to a user on an iMac you can barely see it. Each user has to individually adjust it. This plus the fact that the screen has no vertical adjustment and now has more glass just doesn't cut it.

I would love to do a direct comparison! I'll try next time I go to the Apple store. I may even be more able to do that at Fry's since they have other brands of displays next to the iMac. I'll just have to make sure I navigate to the same web page on both. Thanks for the tip.

Gladly!! I feel lucky just to have been able to talk my wife into spending the $$ on an i5. I would much rather get the i7 but trying to spend the extra $200 is just not worth the effort. Let me also add that because of the crap MicroSuck based systems I have had to put up with for the last 10+ years, even getting an i5 would be like getting out of a VW Beetle into a Mercedes-McClaren F1 race car.

Lastly, before anyone tries to say I am p-whipped, it's all about me respecting my wife's ability to manage money. She does a fantastic job! It's hard to argue with a bank balance that would allow us to live for 3 or 4 years without working, and all due to her efforts! If it were not for her resoluteness, I would probably have us deep in debt.

Thanks for that! (Does your wife happen to have an account on AppleInsider?) I agree, better to know ones limits and live within ones means. If you can still buy a new iMac, how good is that!

This would be a factory problem. Does Apple even require a full test/burn in period on each assembled product? Do they do random sampling? I bet not anymore. There has been a steady erosion in quality assurance, and it shows. This is just yet another example.

The display is getting more dominant with each revision, stretching towards the very edge and the chin getting smaller. I think where they are headed is the entire front of the iMac being display with pixels right up to the edge.

It's not just an extrapolation - in the latest iMac video Johnny Ive talks about how, when you look at the computer, they want your own content to dominate the view.

If all it has are four styrofoam blocks in the corners, that's not enough IMHO. You might as well treat it as a 27" TV -- I don't think I've ever seen a 27" or large TV that has shipped with four corner blocks. They always have a "full frame" block that cradles at least the top, and sides -- the bottom is normally left open due to the TV stand.

I'm no engineer, but I would think that having more styrofoam coverage would allow shocking forces to spread more evenly rather than being concentrated at the corner blocks that Apple uses.

In that case, more styrofoam would be a prudent step.

I'd wager that it's the ham-handed gorillas from UPS that are causing the problems, not the packaging. Have you ever seen those goons just chuck big boxes onto the ground or back into the truck? It's mind-boggling.

The display is getting more dominant with each revision, stretching towards the very edge and the chin getting smaller. I think where they are headed is the entire front of the iMac being display with pixels right up to the edge.

It's not just an extrapolation - in the latest iMac video Johnny Ive talks about how, when you look at the computer, they want your own content to dominate the view.

It's not just an extrapolation - in the latest iMac video Johnny Ive talks about how, when you look at the computer, they want your own content to dominate the view.

"....... and by content I mean your entire room behind you. It gives you a whole new perspective on how to re-arrange your furniture. Beyond that you can gaze at your reflection while contemplating your next content revision or addition."

I'd wager that it's the ham-handed gorillas from UPS that are causing the problems, not the packaging. Have you ever seen those goons just chuck big boxes onto the ground or back into the truck? It's mind-boggling.

That is exactly why ordering online scares the hell out of me! However, the $170 +- I will save in not having to pay sales tax does make for a decent sedative to calm my fears.

I don't understand why this is even an issue. There should be choice. Period.

I bought the last non-glare 15" MacBook Pro when the first uni-bodies were released, hoping that Apple would see the light. Kinda like the FireWire issue and the 13-inchers.

Why the glossies get all snotty about it is ridiculous. Personally, I don't give a shit if you prefer gloss screens, or Fords or poodle hairdo rock bands. I promise not to force you to go to the Bayreuth Festival with me in my Bentley. I'll have great seats, though!

Like you, I want what I want.

I am going to refer to a video on Apple's own web site that I do not have a link to immediately and so, if anyone wants to call me out then fine.

However, in that video, a senior Apple engineer, commenting on the new design implemented in the unibody MacBook, gushed over how the display extended all the way to the edge of the housing and how impressive that was. Of course, the display did not extend all the way to the edge, the glass covering the display did. He knew that for sure. It became clear to me at that point that the glossy screen was at least as much about form over function. Why else promulgate such a misconception?

I know that. The glass still does not go edge to edge like these new iMacs.

Wrong.

Quote:

the aesthetic appeal of the Panasonic TX-P42V10 is boosted considerably by the implementation of a beautiful one-sheet-of-glass design. Defying the usual stereotype of the screen being recessed back from the bezel, a single sheet of glass overlies the entire front, lending a sleek and fluid frameless appearance to the Panasonic TX-P42V10

I am going to refer to a video on Apple's own web site that I do not have a link to immediately and so, if anyone wants to call me out then fine.

However, in that video, a senior Apple engineer, commenting on the new design implemented in the unibody MacBook, gushed over how the display extended all the way to the edge of the housing and how impressive that was. Of course, the display did not extend all the way to the edge, the glass covering the display did. He knew that for sure. It became clear to me at that point that the glossy screen was at least as much about form over function. Why else promulgate such a misconception?

My observation at least. \

I remember that video as well and I was struck by the same thing. Though I do have a glossy screen and love it.

I have one (an i7) - the packaging is fairly minimalistic. It is just 4 pieces of styrofoam, one in each corner.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mazda 3s

If all it has are four styrofoam blocks in the corners, that's not enough IMHO. You might as well treat it as a 27" TV -- I don't think I've ever seen a 27" or large TV that has shipped with four corner blocks. They always have a "full frame" block that cradles at least the top, and sides -- the bottom is normally left open due to the TV stand.

It would seem to me that the reduced styrofoam is all part of Apple's "going green" mission. Less styrofoam = less trash and waste that will hang around forever in landfills. That said, it is a little concerning that if people are paying well above $2000 for a top of the line iMac, Apple should at least be taking extra caution to provide ample cushioning that protects the computer during transit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by teckstud

WRONG- more would have bought them, like all of us who've refused to buy over the last 2years. I don't know anybody who says" Ooohh, I just love that glare- I wanna buy it just for that!" Glare/high gloss is not a selling point.

I used to be a non-believer in glossy screens up until I took the plunge about a year ago. I own a non-Apple display that is glossy, and although at first I thought it would be highly distracting, I've found that it really doesn't produce that much glare, even with a good amount of sunlight or fluorescent lighting being directed onto it. Glossy screens really shine (no pun intended) at night, and I can't tell you how many times my friends have come over and have been wow'd (also no pun intended ) when they've seen the vivid colors produced on my monitor, due to the excellent contrast available on glossy screens. I guess its all a matter of personally preference though.

I think the screens are getting cracked from the inside or slight flexing of the whole assembly is stressing a corner. If it is just supported at the corners, that would allow the whole thing to flex slightly when jolted. It could also be due to something on the inside shifting slightly and cracking it.

It would seem to me that the reduced styrofoam is all part of Apple's "going green" mission. Less styrofoam = less trash and waste that will hang around forever in landfills. That said, it is a little concerning that if people are paying well above $2000 for a top of the line iMac, Apple should at least be taking extra caution to provide ample cushioning that protects the computer during transit.

There are types of foam packaging materials that will dissolve upon coming in contact with water. Why not use one of those?

..The thick layer of glass on the iMac should be far less susceptible to breaking...

You would think, but that's not the case. Glass is strong but brittle to sudden shock, much like a rock (which glass really is just rock), and the thinner glass with a backing of plastic might be more resistant to shock, even though it's not as strong.

Additives can be added to glass during forming, to make it less brittle, but most likely effects the clarity. God knows we have enough issues with the reflections.

The danger is that we sleepwalk into a world where cabals of corporations control not only the mainstream devices and the software on them, but also the entire ecosystem of online services around...

"....... and by content I mean your entire room behind you. It gives you a whole new perspective on how to re-arrange your furniture. Beyond that you can gaze at your reflection while contemplating your next content revision or addition."

27 inch i7. Booted up fine but fans were running at full speed - sounded like a vacuum cleaner running. No cracked screen though and except for the fan issue - seemed to work fine. Packaging seemed adequate as well. Screen is awesome. Return with Apple went ok at first - arranged for return shipping and the day after Fedex picked it up my account showed the replacement - but not shipping until Dec!

This is where it gets a little weird. I called Apple and they said my machine was actually already awaiting shipment (yay!) that it was given priority status and they would provide upgraded shipping - they even refunded my original shipping charges since I had paid for the 2-3 day shipping on the original. Very happy camper at this point. However...

It's been nearly a week and the status is still sitting at a ship date of Dec 2. I spoke with a rep again last night and he said it was NOT put on priority status and that it was in the queue like all the other orders. He did offer to "upgrade" my shipping to 2-3 days - odd since that should have been in the system already.

Bottom line - Apple doesn't appear to be doing anything special to get my replacement iMac to me and I'll just have to wait until Dec even though I originally placed the order on Oct 27.

All this sounds pretty typical for this type of fault. The i7s have only started shipping and there seems to be an excessive number of DOAs and other issues. This is likely a problem going back to the factory and those assembly issues will have to be worked out before it can ship. Good luck getting it shipped in a week if they problem is as large I think it is. usually Id say BTO arent as common and so the queue is small but with the iMac just now moving to desktop-class CPUs and the Core i7s offering a lot of future-forward performance I think they may very popular BTO machines.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cranky

There are types of foam packaging materials that will dissolve upon coming in contact with water. Why not use one of those?

Is it safe to have these foams potentially dissolve into the aquifer?

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

No matter what is released, there will always be people that have problems. and some of those people will talk and some blog will pick it up and often make it sound worse than it is. and that will be picked up by yet more blogs, blah blah. vicious cycle.

Folks that believe that Apple's stuff is always 100% perfect are just dumb. A computer, phone etc is a complex device. Faults happen. That's why Apple has to have protection coverage. If you get a lemon, you can get a new one. yes because this is a custom item it will take a tad longer cause they have to build you a new one, but they will do it. Because if they don't, they know they will be sued for all they are worth, including Steve's new liver.

But in the end, there are no facts being given. Are we talking 10 people out of 10, out of 100, out of 1000 etc. The greater the base number the greater that it is a fluke and not a design flaw.

Might be Apple's trend of reducing packages' size more and more each generation. A big machine like this needs padding and sturdy boxing--not measly packaging--shipping companies aren't known to handle packages with care.

Before u know it they will get rid of all packaging--perhaps wrapping your new computer in reynolds plastic wrap and that's it.

Got mine yesterday. The foam blocks are quite large (9"x9"x7"). No cracks. No boot problems. Fastest out of box to up and running experience I've ever had. Still need to mount the VESA adapter to it and hang it from Ergotron arm.

The screen is gorgeous. And I think I like the mouse. Migration of my account from Macbook went well (had to create a faux account on iMac because you can't transfer same named users running as that user).

I'd wager that it's the ham-handed gorillas from UPS that are causing the problems, not the packaging. Have you ever seen those goons just chuck big boxes onto the ground or back into the truck? It's mind-boggling.

Indeed. The stores probably have the clout to file claims and such but unless the box is dented or ripped its hard for Joe Q to do that. And it doesn't help with getting a replacement when it's a build to order. It does make me wish that we could pick them up at the stores (still build to order but it goes there in the regular delivery pre-paid etc) but I get why that's not really an option. Too much hassle for the staff etc. Especially this time of year.

Might be Apple's trend of reducing packages' size more and more each generation. A big machine like this needs padding and sturdy boxing--not measly packaging--shipping companies aren't known to handle packages with care.

Before u know it they will get rid of all packaging--perhaps wrapping your new computer in reynolds plastic wrap and that's it.

I don't think anybody at Apple knows about starch-based, water soluble foam packaging. Using a material like that would give them an even "greener conscience", wouldn't it? That way they could use more packing material and still keep their"Al-Gore Environmental Activist Approval Rating".

While I don't doubt that some machines have shown up with problems, mine arrived in perfect condition. The only issues I've been facing are those associated with the Draconian copy protection routines that some software vendors choose to put on their software (e.g., Genuine Fractals -- still waiting for them to release the license to my new machine).

I wish those who've experienced problems well; it's got to be frustrating after the seemingly long wait...

I'd put more blame on UPS/FEDEX for their lousy handling of shipments before Apple. Let's face it Apple designs the fastest and most reliable products on the planet so I wouldn't put the blame on them.